Vince Kehres Hired as Defensive Coordinator
12/6/2025 6:06:00 PM | Football
Vince Kehres, who led one of the nation's top-ranked defenses in 2025 and has coached 10 national champion teams, including two as a head coach, has joined the Syracuse football staff as its defensive coordinator.
"I'm extremely grateful to Coach Brown for this opportunity," Kehres said. My family and I are excited to join the family at Syracuse. I'm also grateful to Coach Candle and Mike O'Brien for the great experience we had at Toledo these past six years. My family and I are excited about the future."
Kehres comes to Syracuse after spending the past six seasons at Toledo. This year, the Rockets were near the top of the country in nearly every defensive category, including total defense (second), passing efficiency defense (second), scoring defense (fourth), fewest first downs allowed (fourth), passing defense (fifth), tackles for loss (fifth), rushing defense (eighth), sacks (ninth), red zone defense (ninth), third-down defense (11th), and takeaways (22nd).
A Broyles Award nominee, which honors the nation's top assistant coach, Keheres' defense has held its opponents to 14 or fewer points in eight of their 12 games this season.
"Vince has a championship pedigree and has consistently led some of the top defenses in college football," said head coach Fran Brown. "In talking with him for the last month and a half, I've learned our vision about football and the development of young men align. We see the game very similarly and are both extremely competitive."
The year prior to Kehres' arrival at Toledo, the Rockets ranked last in the MAC in total defense, surrendering over 475 yards per game. In his six seasons combined, his units allowed just 327.2 yards per game, including just 247.8 yards per game this season.
He's also helped lead Toledo to five-straight bowl seasons, two appearances in the MAC Championship game, the 2023 MAC title and a 65-percent winning percentage in his tenure.
Kehres' defense has seen least one player drafted in each of the past-four NFL Drafts, including Eagles 2024 first round selection and eventual Super Bowl champion Quinyon Mitchell. Defensive lineman Darius Alexander was selected in the third round of last year's draft by the Giants. Fellow defensive lineman Desjuan Johnson (Rams) was picked in 2023, and defensive backs Tycen Anderson (Bengals) and Samuel Womack (49ers) were selected in 2022.
In his time with the Rockets, 31 players have earned All-MAC honors from Kehres' defenses.
Prior to Toledo, Kehres spent 20 years at Mount Union on the coaching staff, leading the Purple Raiders on one of the most successful stretches in all of football. Including his time as a head coach, assistant coach, student assistant and player, Mount Union won 12 NCAA Championships and played in the Stagg Bowl (the NCAA Division III Championship Game) 20 times. Â
He began his collegiate coaching career at Mount Union in 2000, working with the defensive line. He switched to offensive line for the 2004 campaign, before becoming defensive coordinator from 2005-12. In 2013, he took over as head coach, where he remained through the 2019 season.
His career record of 95-6 (.941) as a head coach gave him more victories than any college coach at any level during that period. In addition to leading his team to NCAA championships in 2015 and 2017, Mount Union reached the national championship game in five of his seven seasons. He is a three-time Ohio Athletic Conference Coach of the year and three-time Lee Tressel Ohio College Coach of the Year.
Kehres also won two NCAA Championships as a player at Mount Union, where he was a four-year letterwinner and all-conference defensive end for the Purple Raiders.
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"I'm extremely grateful to Coach Brown for this opportunity," Kehres said. My family and I are excited to join the family at Syracuse. I'm also grateful to Coach Candle and Mike O'Brien for the great experience we had at Toledo these past six years. My family and I are excited about the future."
Kehres comes to Syracuse after spending the past six seasons at Toledo. This year, the Rockets were near the top of the country in nearly every defensive category, including total defense (second), passing efficiency defense (second), scoring defense (fourth), fewest first downs allowed (fourth), passing defense (fifth), tackles for loss (fifth), rushing defense (eighth), sacks (ninth), red zone defense (ninth), third-down defense (11th), and takeaways (22nd).
A Broyles Award nominee, which honors the nation's top assistant coach, Keheres' defense has held its opponents to 14 or fewer points in eight of their 12 games this season.
"Vince has a championship pedigree and has consistently led some of the top defenses in college football," said head coach Fran Brown. "In talking with him for the last month and a half, I've learned our vision about football and the development of young men align. We see the game very similarly and are both extremely competitive."
The year prior to Kehres' arrival at Toledo, the Rockets ranked last in the MAC in total defense, surrendering over 475 yards per game. In his six seasons combined, his units allowed just 327.2 yards per game, including just 247.8 yards per game this season.
He's also helped lead Toledo to five-straight bowl seasons, two appearances in the MAC Championship game, the 2023 MAC title and a 65-percent winning percentage in his tenure.
Kehres' defense has seen least one player drafted in each of the past-four NFL Drafts, including Eagles 2024 first round selection and eventual Super Bowl champion Quinyon Mitchell. Defensive lineman Darius Alexander was selected in the third round of last year's draft by the Giants. Fellow defensive lineman Desjuan Johnson (Rams) was picked in 2023, and defensive backs Tycen Anderson (Bengals) and Samuel Womack (49ers) were selected in 2022.
In his time with the Rockets, 31 players have earned All-MAC honors from Kehres' defenses.
Prior to Toledo, Kehres spent 20 years at Mount Union on the coaching staff, leading the Purple Raiders on one of the most successful stretches in all of football. Including his time as a head coach, assistant coach, student assistant and player, Mount Union won 12 NCAA Championships and played in the Stagg Bowl (the NCAA Division III Championship Game) 20 times. Â
He began his collegiate coaching career at Mount Union in 2000, working with the defensive line. He switched to offensive line for the 2004 campaign, before becoming defensive coordinator from 2005-12. In 2013, he took over as head coach, where he remained through the 2019 season.
His career record of 95-6 (.941) as a head coach gave him more victories than any college coach at any level during that period. In addition to leading his team to NCAA championships in 2015 and 2017, Mount Union reached the national championship game in five of his seven seasons. He is a three-time Ohio Athletic Conference Coach of the year and three-time Lee Tressel Ohio College Coach of the Year.
Kehres also won two NCAA Championships as a player at Mount Union, where he was a four-year letterwinner and all-conference defensive end for the Purple Raiders.
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